Policy Number: 4.40 - School Assistance and
Volunteer Service Leave
Efft. Date: 7/1/01 Rev. Date: 11/25/05

This policy permits (or, in the case of volunteer fire and rescue service, requires) agencies to grant employees up to 16 hours of time off with pay per leave calendar year to provide volunteer services through eligible non-profit organizations within or outside their communities.  Such service may be provided as a member of a service organization or through authorized school assistance.  The policy supports the Governor’s Commission on National and Community Service which encourages Virginians to dedicate service to others.

Organizations that (1) are community based or that have extensions of their organizations within a community, that (2) provide services through voluntary efforts of citizens in the following ways:

• Relief to to physically or mentally challenged persons;
• Relief to to victims of natural disasters or catastrophes (see Policy 4.17, Emergency/Disaster Leave);
• Health services, emergency relief and shelter, transportation and preparation or delivery of meals;
• Other direct health or welfare services for the economically disadvantaged; or
• Community services which assist residents, including child and youth development.

A public or private nonprofit organization that is representative of a community or a significant segment of a community, and is engaged in meeting human, educational, environmental, or public safety community needs.   Excluded is service provided through a church where the only recipients of the service are the constituents of the church (e.g. painting and maintenance of church buildings, yard work, serving on the church Board, etc.).

Note:  Activities involving political groups or causes do not qualify for use of this leave.

An early childhood program that serves children for more than nine hours per week, at any time from their birth until their eligibility to enter elementary school. While a preschool program may be home-based, like all other such programs, it must be registered, licensed or certified by the Virginia Department of Social Services, unless it is exempt from licensure under §63.2-1715 of the Code of Virginia.

Schools for which this leave may be granted include any public preschool, elementary, middle or high school.  This term may include private preschools, elementary, middle or high schools only if the employee has children, step-children or children for whom the employee has custody attending the private school.

Volunteer Fire Departments and Rescue Squads

Members of volunteer fire departments and rescue squads, or auxiliary units thereof, may be granted paid leave under this policy in accordance with §2.2-2821.2 of the Code of Virginia.

Other Volunteer Service Activities

Employees may be granted paid leave under this policy to provide voluntary service as part of an organized service project sponsored by a community, national or other service organization such as those represented in Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign, Points of Light Foundation, etc.

For example, an employee could be granted volunteer leave to:

• deliver meals to the elderly or to needy community citizens through an organization such as Meals on Wheels;
• attend non-profit boards and committee meetings (Scouts, Big Brother/Big Sister, Red Cross, etc.);
• participate in activities directly related to non-profit fundraising (e.g., set up/take down, registration, answering phones, recruiting/organizing/training volunteers);
• do yard work, painting, cleaning, maintenance through a non-profit organization, or;
• volunteer for Scouts, Big Brother/Big Sister, or other non-profit organization.

Employees with children may be granted paid leave under this policy to:

• meet with a teacher or administrator of a public or private preschool, elementary school, middle school, or high school concerning their children, step-children, or children for whom the employee has legal custody; or
• attend a school function in which such children are participating.

Any employee may be granted paid leave under this policy to perform volunteer work approved by any teacher or school administrator to assist a public preschool, elementary school, middle school, or high school.

Employees must receive approval from their supervisors prior to using volunteer leave. If response to emergency situations as a member of a volunteer fire department or rescue squad will result in tardiness, employees must notify their supervisors according to agency procedures.

Supervisors may require written verification from an official of the service organization for use of volunteer leave.  If the leave is used for school assistance, written verification should be from a school administrator or teacher.

Agencies should attempt to approve leave at the time requested by employees, but have discretion to disapprove leave if it would significantly impact agency operations.

Agencies may determine that it is not possible to release certain employees under this policy, such as employees in direct care or public safety positions, due to staffing requirements. When adequate, capable back-up staff is readily available, or if it is possible to adjust employees’ schedules, employees’ requests should be granted.  If they are unable to grant volunteer leave requests, agencies should inform affected employees as soon as possible after the decision is made.

A maximum of 16 hours of paid leave per leave calendar year will be made available to current employees on January 10 each year and to new employees upon beginning employment.

Hours of paid leave will be made available to Q & P salaried employees in an amount proportionate to the percentage of hours they work in a full 40-hour workweek.

There will be no payment for unused volunteer leave upon employees’ separation from state service.

The Department of Human Resource Management issues this policy pursuant to the authority provided in Chapter 12, Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia.

This policy supersedes Policy 4.40, Leave to Provide Community Service, July 1, 2001.

The Director of the Department of Human Resource Management is responsible for official interpretation of this policy, in Accordance with Chapter 12, Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia.

Questions regarding the application of this policy should be directed to the Department of Human Resource Management’s Agency Human Resource Services.

The Department of Human Resource Management reserves the right to revise or eliminate this policy.

• Policy 4.17,  Emergency/Disaster Leave